'Who was in power in Gujarat in 2002': MP on Modi’s ‘if there was no Cong' barb

Congress on Thursday returned the fire on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “if there was no Congress” barb, asking the ruling BJP who was in power in Gujarat in 2002 when riots took place and what the then Prime Minister A B Vajpayee said about the incident.

The main Opposition party made the comments during the third day of general discussion on Budget in Rajya Sabha. Congress and other parties continued to target the Modi government on the cut on MGNREGA funds, unemployment scenario and no "proper schemes" for agriculture sector.

Congress’s Chhaya Verma referred to Modi’s reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in Rajya Sabha that if there would not have been dynastic politics, Emergency and anti-Sikh riots among others would not have happened and said, “Did you forget what happened (in Gujarat) in 2002? BJP was leading the Gujarat government. A B Vajpayee was the Prime Minister.”

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She claimed Vajpayee had mentioned that he would feel ashamed during his foreign tours about what happened there and added, “learn something from Vajpayee.” Modi was Gujarat Chief Minister when the riots happened.

Another Congress MP Syed Nasir Hussain, who is from Karnataka, said the BJP has promised to bring bullet trains, house for all and doubling of farmers’ income by 2022 but nothing is happening and that is why the BJP was attacking Congress.

An MP from Chhattisgarh, Verma also found fault with Modi’s assertion that Congress spread Covid-19 by nudging migrant workers to leave for their homes and asked who were running the trains and buses for those people.

Describing the Budget as one for the rich, she said while the price of diamonds have come down, allocation for MGNREGA has come down and there was no plan for job creation. “Where is the main diamond industry located? Surat and Gujarat. Who comes from there?” she said.

Referring to the use of drones in the agriculture sector, Verma cautioned that modernisation could lead to lesser employment opportunities and the government should balance it. She also criticised the spending on Central Vista at a time the country is facing Covid-19 pandemic. “You do your Mann ki Baat but it would be better if you listen to Jann Ki Baat too,” she said.

RJD’s Manoj K Jha criticised the government for having no vision on generating jobs at a time the country is witnessing "job riots" in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

BJP ally JD(U)’s Ram Nath Thakur also raised the issue of decrease in MGNREGA allocation and said it would have a negative impact on the poor.

LJD’s MV Shreyamskumar said that the newspaper industry was going through a crisis and demanded that the government withdraw 5 per cent customs duty imposed on newsprint.

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